But as he pulls me close to him and hugs me tight, I’m happy to just fall asleep in his arms. The beating of his heart, the feel of his muscular arm protecting me, the happiness… I could cling on to this forever. But I don’t know what Garrett is thinking and I don’t want to over analyze it.
This man was once the love of my life. Now, I think he’s my friend, what comes next, who only knows.
Chapter 20 – Garrett
A string of white light streaming through my bedroom window wakes me up far before my alarm can, alerting me that something is different today. It doesn’t matter how many times I have gone to bed drunk, I have always remembered to shut my curtains, so last night I clearly had something else on my mind…
“Morning.” Right. Jill, of course. She came home with me last night after that dinner with my mom.
I turn around to face her with a big smile on my face. “Hi.”
She giggles girlishly and I find myself laughing. We haven’t been in this position before, even when we were younger. I have to say she is absolutely gorgeous in the morning with her hair all over the place and her cheeks flushed. Stunning. I can’t resist pulling her in for a kiss because I have to touch her. I can’t stop myself.
“Ooh, now that was a nice wake up,” she coos as she finally gets the chance to speak. “What did I do to deserve that?” She leans in and kisses me some more. “Not that I’m complaining, of course.”
It isn’t awkward. That’s the strangest thing. There isn’t any weirdness between us at all. There should be, but there isn’t. After all this time, after all that’s happened, it shouldn’t be as easy as breathing. This is kind of wonderful.
“Last night got a little wild, didn’t it?” Jill laughs again, but I love the way that she’s just addressing it, not letting it turn awkward. “I guess as soon as we have had a drink, we can’t help ourselves.”
“I don’t even drink much anymore,” I declare, as a point of pride actually. “So, that was unusual for me.”
“You don’t?” Jill rests her delicate hand softly on my cheek and stares deep into my eyes. I feel like she can see the struggles that I have been through, that she can understand my pain, but she doesn’t judge me for it.
“Ever since I started seeing my therapist…” Oh God, those words just slipped out. I didn’t mean to reveal that I’m getting mental health help…
“I have seen tons of therapists over the years,” she confesses. “While I was traveling, I went to many. I wouldn’t have been able to hold it together if I hadn't. I think what they do is amazing.”
Wow, talking about it isn’t something that I should find humiliating. Not with Jill. It’s incredible. I lean in and press my lips to hers once more because I can’t get enough of her.
“Come on, let’s get up,” I finally say with a bright smile. “I’ll make you some breakfast.”
“Garrett Willis is going to make me breakfast?” she teases with a playful wink. “Now that is a day that I never thought I would see. Are you going to tell me that now you are some sort of chef as well?”
“I don’t know about chef,” I admit. “Would you like a shower?”
She nods and I take her into the bathroom where I give her my softest biggest towel and everything that she will need to be comfortable. I want Jill to feel at ease here.
Once I can hear the water running, I start to think of her naked soaking wet body in there. I don’t think I can resist the urge to jump in there with her. She hasn’t shown me that she wants that, and she may wish to take things slowly, and I am totally okay with that, so I need to slow my roll.
Anyway, I have too much going on right now. I need to cook breakfast for Jill and I want it to be amazing. I don’t know what I have in the house, but I’m going to make her a feast to remember. Thankfully, neither of us have work today so we aren’t in any rush. We can spend as much time as she wants just hanging out. That isn’t something I thought I would want when she first arrived in town, but now I can’t imagine ever wanting her to leave.
I flick the radio on and sing along as I cook, which is something that I haven’t done in a very long time. I don’t think that I have ever been a singer, but now I can’t seem to stop.
I don’t know if this is what Mom was insinuating for us last night, but if she has pushed Jill and me in this direction then I couldn’t be happier.